What
by poweroverbirds
Summary: Gordie had promised college would be different, but Chris didn't give it a lot of thought until right now.
1. I

_had a funny feeling I'd come back to this_

spoilers?

 **not mine, don't sue**

 _What_.

Chris is sitting alone at a round table three quarters to the back of the dining hall when Melanie Anderson approaches him. He doesn't see her coming; he's too busy staring at the quiz in front of him. It's only the third week of the semester, and already things are going well. The quiz had been a surprise, causing a groan to roll through his peers when the professor announced it.

Chris had flown through the quiz with ease. So much ease, in fact, that he was certain he had failed. When he called Gordie that night and told him, Gordie had nothing but praises, and Chris was reassured during that fifteen minute phone call that everything would be all right.

And it was, because the quiz in front of him was the only perfect score in the class. Professor Adams had pulled him aside after class to praise him for his assessment of the material. For a moment, he tensed, and his mind flashed to situations similar to this back in Castle Rock. But the teachers never praised him, even when he did well. They assumed he cheated, lied, stole, his way to the right answer.

But Professor Adams is right here, right in front of him, _praising_ him. Chris feels his throat tighten. He could barely get out a thank you before hurrying away before Professor Adams could change his mind.

So here he was, sitting alone at a round table three quarters to the back of the dining hall, staring at this quiz. He would have to call Gordie tonight, tell him he was right, thank him for being right. Gordie would be proud, he knew. Gordie was always proud.

His mind is taken away from his perfect grade and his perfect friend when Melanie Anderson slides into the seat across from him with a smile on her face bright enough to light up a room.

He's always hated Melanie Anderson. From the very moment, eight years ago, she accused him of sneaking peeks of her test that day in November, he's hated her. Because he wasn't looking at her test, or her at all; he was so confused by the content in front of him at that moment that she had been the furthest thing from his mind.

"Hi," she says, and she sounds almost shy.

"Hi." Chris responds flatly. He's feeling very confused and he definitely does not want her here.

"My name's Melanie," she tells him.

That's when it hits him. It hits him hard enough to send him leaning back in his chair as he watches her for the hint of a smile. But she's just watching him, waiting.

She doesn't recognize him.

Which is crazy, of course. Since coming to school, he's actually managed to lose a couple pounds due to studying so hard he misses meals. His hair is longer too, just slightly, but anyone with a brain in their head would recognize a face they saw almost every day for twelve years.

But here she is, introducing herself to him like they come from different places. Which is technically true, he supposes. She came from a nice house in the View, where she was genuinely loved by her parents and did well in school and was always given the benefit of the doubt.

Chris has never known those things.

"I know," he answers, again, flatly. She beams like she feels important, because maybe she is important, but not enough. Not to him.

Her smile makes him angry. "Melanie, we were in the same goddamn science class for six years. Now go sit somewhere else before this no good Chambers' boy rubs off on you."

Her eyes grow wide as she realizes what's happened. Her cheeks flare red, and it's almost cute, but Chris is doing everything he can to keep from laughing.

Melanie stands up, and makes no attempt to give him an excuse as she turns on her heels and walks away. Chris doesn't watch her go, but instead turns his attention back to the perfect quiz in front of him.

Gordie had promised college would be different, but Chris didn't give it a lot of thought until right now.


	2. II

_decided to add another chapter, and it will be the last one_

 **spoilers?**

don't own, don't sue

 _What. II_

Chris is sitting alone at a round table three quarters to the back of the dining hall when Melanie Anderson approaches him once again. He doesn't see her coming because he's too busy eating. He had a history test early this morning, so last night he skipped dinner so he could study. And now that the test is over, he realizes how hungry he is.

A plate hits the table and Chris looks up from his chicken wrap in surprise. Melanie Anderson is standing behind the plate and behind the chair directly across from him. Chris swallows hard and says nothing.

The feeling of déjà vu hits him hard as they watch each other silently from across the table. Chris resolves not to speak first, and maybe it takes her a while to get the hint, or maybe she doesn't know what to say, because there they are, opposite each other, for almost a full minute before Melanie sighs.

"I knew it was you when I came over." The wrap falls from Chris' hands and onto the plate. He leans back in his chair heavily. Still, he remains quiet. "I'm not stupid, Chris. You haven't exactly changed."

"Then why did you introduce yourself?" he demands. If he had spoken to her like this before, in Castle Rock where everybody knew everything about everyone, her response may have been different. But here, Chris knew the names of about twenty people, and knew nothing more.

"I thought college was for starting over."

Chris starts laughing, and he can't help it. This is all too ridiculous. Next time he calls Gordie, he's going to laugh too. Maybe if he remembers this ten years from now, he'll still find it funny.

"What do you need to start over?" he asks without caring. This was Melanie Anderson he was talking to.

She smiles, but she's not beaming. It's familiar, but odd, and Chris finds he doesn't like it. It doesn't reach her eyes. "You think you know everything about me, don't you?" she asks. She grips the back of the chair and Chris can see her knuckles turning white. "Just like I know everything about you?" she adds, raising her eyebrows.

Chris doesn't like her insinuation. "Melanie-"

"We don't know anything about each other, do we?" she continues. Chris starts to get nervous. This is beginning to feel like a joke, and he's the butt of it.

"Why are you here?" he demands, crossing his arms over his chest. He doesn't even know why he's still talking to her, why he's even still here in the dining hall, but he finds it hard to leave.

She shrugs with ease, like she's been doing it her whole life instead of answering difficult questions; or maybe just to piss people off. "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you."

"Why are you here?" Chris repeats a little louder, because god dammit, now he's curious.

Her cheeks flair pink, just like they did the last time they were in this situation. He crosses his arms a little tighter and watches as her eyes flicker to the floor for just a second before finding his again.

"You're the only person here I know," she shrugs again, and does it with the same ease as before. "But judging by what you said, you're still a no good Chambers."

"And you're still perfect Melanie Anderson," Chris spits out, jerking towards the table, ready to tell her to get lost, to go and leave him alone. _Only person she knows_ , bullshit. She must have a hundred friends here already.

But she starts laughing. It's quiet, but it's powerful. She doubles over and ducks her head and laughs like it's the funniest thing she's ever heard.

For the first time since she came over, Chris remembers there are other people in the dining hall. He glances around while she laughs, but no one is paying them any mind, and he's grateful.

"Oh yeah," she says through her laughter. "That's me, perfect Melanie."

Chris looks down at his plate of cold food that he was so hungry for only ten minutes ago, but now looking at the food makes him almost sick.

Her laughter stops and Chris can finally look back at her. "I bet you have me all figured out," she says quietly.

"I thought I did," he finds himself confessing. He's known her for literally his whole life. How is it in the course of two ten minute conversations could things be so different?

Her eyes flash with something that looks like regret. "It's," she pauses and Chris feels on edge as he waits for her to finish. "It's good to know you didn't live up to what they thought you would."

"But you did, didn't you?"

She laughs again, only it's louder and shorter this time, almost like she's faking it. "Please. My mother never wanted me to go to college and thought I should get married right after high school and start a family."

"Then why are you here?"

She picks up her plate. "To start over," she says before turning on her heels. Chris watches as she walks the distance of the cafeteria, sends her plate to the dishwasher, and leaves. He looks down at his plate and thinks maybe he won't tell Gordie about this after all. 

_(maybe I will write more? Let me know what you want in a review)_


End file.
